October 2007 - water ingress through cracks in upper frame
Close-up of damage
Consequences on the inside
Removal for stonework repairs
Removal takes 2 days : windows were re-set in hard concrete instead of mortar in 1945
The Haskins Boys - our master craftsmen from Kingswood, Bristol
Window section on Haskins' workshop bench
Close-up of St Peter
All boarded up for a while
The first restored window panel is back in place
Now the second
Half way there
Two thirds finished
Abraham is back in the middle, as intended, flanked by Noah(L) & Melchisidech(R)
All back in position in an hour after ten weeks taken over stonework repair and glass cleaning
Finally, re-furnished with top quality steel window guards
Seen from within as designer originally intended
Before - lower panes were re-instated incorrectly after wartime removal
Scaffolding fills the whole of the nave
How many joints like this?
All the pews are coated in plastic sheeting
Floor tiles are covered with hardboard for protection
The Willis organ is also dust wrapped - yet still working!
While south aisle is being worked upon, it is completely sealed off to contain dust
Screens are constructed of thin film and struts
A temporary wooden tunnel allows access from south porch into church
Scaffolding reaches every corner
Scaffolding around the north porch
Access is needed to the eaves above, for renovation of plasterwork here and there
A section of nave is screened off to provide a storage area during redecoration
Services are held in the chancel beyond the nave
View of nave from the sanctuary
The parquet flooring gets sanded down and re-sealed
Grating and floor tiles displaced by floor movements are re-instated properly
The day when scaffolding was dismantled and removed
Scaffolding, ready for collection
Outside church, the pavements are being re-laid - not at Parish expense - thankfully
St John's sacristy window dates from 1860, the oldest in the church
Building subsidence has led to cracks in the walls and window frames
The crack points to the change of level
It runs through the window up into the arch
It has caused window panels to separate
Tie rods are pulling out - walls will be tied back together with hidden steel rods set in concrete.
Window removed for re-glazing
Seen from the outside
Scaffolding erected ready for re-instatement of window
First remove the panelling
Chipping out hard concrete from the grooves where the panel fit
The right mortar mix was unavailable when windows were re-instated post-war
Cremped work space outside
Tidy as you go
Get the panels from the van
A quick check to make sure all's OK
Checking the fit before fixing
Now the second panel
.... and the third
150 year old fingerprints baked into the underside of the glass
All six panels and three decorating mountings now in place
Putting the last tie-bar in place
Steve and Mike hold the final panels for re-instatement
Mike fits smallest light back in its place first
Then the first angel light
Because of the movement of the tracery re-fitting the window is far from straightforward
You can see the gaps between panel and tracery needing to be filled
Steve carefully applies mortar to the gaps
It's a slow painstaking business
Many trips up and down the ladder are required
You can see how many gaps there were to fill in with special mortar
Make and Steve with the new steel window guards
Guards ready to be hoisted into place
The best new steel window guards discreetly protect the treasure
Aglow with Sunday morning light once more
